Keno is a popular game whose basic rules are well known. Keno is offered in most casinos. In a standard Keno game, there are 80 numbers arranged in an 8 row×10 column grid. The Keno game may be played all electronically or the player can use a paper ticket and a pen to make selections. Players pay a wager to play each game, and the award is proportional to the wager. In one type of Keno game, the player is allowed to select six numbers (called “spots”) of the 80 possible numbers. After the players have made their selections, a random number generator sequentially selects a predetermined number of numbers in the grid, and these randomly selected numbers are highlighted on the grid. In one type of Keno game, 20 numbers are randomly selected. The player's numbers are compared to the randomly selected numbers for matches. Then, a pay table is consulted that equates the number of matched numbers (called “catches”) with an award. There may be many pay tables depending on whether the player can select a variable number of “spots.” In another type of Keno game, only six numbers are randomly selected, but the payouts are higher for a match. The pay table is calculated so that, over the long term, the casino will make a profit.
After the random selection process, the game is over, and the player must place a new wager for the next game. The player may continue to play with the same numbers or choose a new set of numbers.
The Keno game may be a stand-alone game or a bonus game in a slot machine. The Keno game may be played by a single player on an individual terminal with a small display of the grid, or the grid may be on a large display so all the players can view and play with the same grid.
Although Keno is fun and popular, it would be desirable to add a special feature to the game without changing the basic rules of the base game. Such a special feature would add more excitement and possibly bring in more revenue to the casino or game terminal.